Dieter Bohn, for The Verge:
So for a long time now, we’ve found ourselves asking the two questions again and again: what exactly is Google trying to accomplish with the Nexus program and what’s the strategy with these Android updates? We sat down with three of the four main leaders of the Android team to ask those questions yet again. “Nexus stands for high specs at a really fair price,” says Hiroshi Lockheimer, vice president of engineering for Android. “The other thing is the updates come directly from Google. Those are the attributes of Nexus that I think people have really enjoyed and we’re not changing that strategy.”
Yet while Google’s answers to these two questions have been remarkably consistent over the past couple of years (and remains consistent today), the Nexus 5 and KitKat themselves seem to give us a different answer than their predecessors. The hardware and the software tell a more ambitious story: older Nexus devices were Android phones, but the Nexus 5 is the first true Google phone.
Something is happening in the Android world.
*Sigh* Who noticed that the AOSP e-mail client (not Gmail) and the AOSP Gallery have received huge updates? And not to solve problems, but to actually improve them! Who even expected it?
Oh, silly me, that’s not clickbait material. Better stroke the fears and a pseudo-debate…
Call me when one, just one of “those” websites puts forward an editorial saying “sorry, we went a bit ahead of ourselves with our article a year ago, we made many assumptions that turned out to be wrong”.
That’s rather incredible that I am going back to Endgadget for finding it more factual: The Verge is going down the drain, Ars Technica is going down the drain (oh god that BadBios article *rolleyes*)… Yeah. What has the world come to.
Do you have a link to the stuff about the mail client and gallery?
Thanks.
http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/10/31/apk-download-heres-the-defa…
http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/11/02/kitkat-feature-spotlight-no…
You should bookmark Android Police, they are a nice website, with in-depth analysis (APK teardowns for example).
You do realise that the person who did all the great APK teardowns on Android Police … is the same person you are ragging on for writing articles at Ars?
Haven’t kept up with AP, though, to see how the replacement person is doing for APK teardowns.
Ron Amadeo? Yeah, I know. I was extremely disappointed.
What about it? Ars was just reporting on the fact that a well-known researcher is making so-and-so claims and then explained his claims, what else should they have done about it?
Uncritically reporting the outlandish claims of a security researcher who sat on this incredible and extremely dangerous piece of code for three years.
The audio part, especially, is bullshit, as he could have proven it by using a goddamned microphone. But no, he instead says “I sometime hear it”.
http://www.metafilter.com/133398/Meet-badBIOS-the-multi-platform-ma…
They did say several times that no one else has so far verified the claims.
And? That’s the researcher’s own fault, not Ars’s. They only reported on the fact that there’s this well-known researcher making these outlandish claims, what the claims are, and since it’s an ongoing situation they’ll be reporting more on it once other researchers have voiced their opinions and findings on it. As such what else do you want them to do? I mean, it’s an ongoing situation and they’ll be reporting on it when there’s more to report.
I don’t get this kind of complaining.
Indeed, here’s an Ars article following up on the growing skepticism:
http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/11/researcher-skepticism-grows…
Looks like balanced reporting to me, just like the first article.
Or a way to get more pageviews.
-Report stupid rumour
-Let commenters go apeshit (the stupider the rumor the easier to reach it)
-Drag on the story by publishing “updates”
And, of course, don’t do any analysis on your own nor use your critical thinking. Remember, researching a subject before reporting on it costs more and returns less. The reporter could even be inclined to dismiss the story! Imagine that! More work to *not* publish a story! Clearly not a good business strategy.
Just like every other tech news agency out there.
As if they have any control over what their readers say or think.
Follow up on a continuing story, just like any good tech news agency would.
Ars has a great track record for research, but none was necessary in this particular case. It’s not a feature article series, basically they are giving all the same information that other news sources are, and what little analysis is possible with the facts given to them. To do anything more at this point would be to make shit up, which is what you’re falsely accusing them of. What you are doing makes no sense and makes you appear to be a raving lunatic.
I get that you may hate Ars for whatever reason, but to come here and rant about them like a madman is not the correct thing to do. Take it up with their editor in chief; I’m sure he or she would welcome the hilarity.
I’m the raving lunatic here, while Dragos is newsworthy? Thanks for the laugh.
Edited 2013-11-08 19:38 UTC
Let’s hope the manufacturers now *stop* with their bloatware and sell us devices with Stock Android. If Samsung, HTC, LG and so on think they have useful additions or replacements, let them offer those as apps in Google Play.
The great thing about the PC era was consumer software choice. In the Windows ecosystem, you bought a device and put on the software you wanted (mind you, this comes from a Linux guy).
The manufacturers learnt the wrong lesson from that time. They saw OEMs bleeding but Apple with its vertical ecosystem flourishing, and now they think going vertical is the way. And of course, vertical integration has advantages will appeal to a certain segment of the market, as Apple shows.
But the cause of Windows hardware OEMs was not the model itself; the problem was that OEMs offered lousy laptops: bad screens, bad keyboards, mediocre battery life, choke full with adware. No innovation at all. If you wanted a “nice” laptop and had the money in hand, there were NO Windows machines available. You HAD to buy an Apple, even if you didn’t want.
What Sammy, LG, HTC, Nokia (!!) should do is make great hardware, put stock android on it, and have the bootloader open. Let’s hope the Nexus line is a wakeup call for the phone & tablet makers: cut the bloat!
That’s not fully true. While it applies to most OEMs there was always the choice to buy a Sony Vaio.
Given the choice of Vaio vs. MacBook for a Linux system I always went for a Vaio. Even with Sony’s tendency to go for some proprietary components quite like Apple, they were still way more compatible.
Really? I’ve had pretty much the opposite experience with Sony’s Vaio line over the years. I’ve only bought them second-hand, but that didn’t change what was compatible and what wasn’t. The last two Vaio laptops I had were full of bloatware in the default Windows install (VGN-CS215J had over 4GiB of Sony crapware alone, not to mention third party BS), and when I wiped and put GNU/Linux on them, all of the major stuff like GPU and wifi were supported. But, things like the trackpad, the proprietary “control strip” at the top of the keyboard, the MS reader on one, and the ACPI features on another, were all broken. I managed to hunt around the ‘net and fix all but the trackpad and control strip issues, but it was a hell of a lot of work.
In contrast, since the switch to Intel, Apple machines have become much better supported under GNU/Linux. I don’t have as much first hand experience as I do with Sony machines, but it’s my understanding that apart from Retina display issues most Apple machines work 100% out of the box with GNU/Linux, and with drivers from Apple, they work 100% with Windows. There’s a reason Linus Torvalds chose Apple hardware to run his own OS on.
As for “nice” Windows laptops, what about ThinkPads? They aren’t all good looking, unless you like the stark industrial look — I do — but they have almost always been rock solid, featureful, and lacking of bloatware. They also tend to be highly compatible with GNU/Linux as well as the BSDs.
Yeah, I too bought a Thinkpad for that reason. My next one will probably be an Apple laptop (I’ll put Linux on it of course).
Yes. My previous laptop was a Vaio SZ1XP, my current one is a Vaio Z2.Both basically all things working out of the box using a standard Debian install.
The only thing I know of to not work is the fingerprint reader on the SZ1XP, haven’t tried on the new one.
But it could of course depend on what kind of category the models fall into. My laptops are both high end “business” category.
Since I was considering a MacBook when I bought the older model that didn’t really make any difference in price though.
True, but that didn’t matter for me since I am running Linux anyway.
However, the system restore utility is surprisingly good, it has an option to restore just the base system, without any 3rd party crap.
Right. I was interpreting “nice” as referring to design. ThinkPads are always part of the group of final choices when shopping for a new laptop.
I was just disagreeing with the statement that you had no other option other than buying a Mac. Seems you are disagreeing also.
Better yet: give a choice to Android users at the first boot whether you want Google’s ecosystem, or Samsung’s, or Nokia’s, or whatever. Some of us are still reluctant to play in Google’s ecosystem.
Also, since I’m here, let me express my disappointment at Google for dropping updates for the Galaxy Nexus, a device that was still available for new purchase in their Play Store last October (ask me how I know). We purchased a Nexus 4 as the price dropped, but this poor showing of support for the “pure Android experience” has left us open to other products for our Christmas tablet purchase.
for lines like the note series, there is a need for some OEM-bundled software.
S-note and their handwriting recognition are superb, as are the gestures and hovering etc.
Problem is that from a business point of view (because, you know, companies are here to make business) it makes no sense.
Those are hardware companies making money from selling hardware. Software additions are here to allow them to differentiate their hardware from other manufacturers and to allow them to sell this hardware at a premium price eventually.
Today, it is almost impossible to make hardware which is so much better than your competitor that you can successfully compete against Samsung behemoth or chinese OEM. And if you do so, your competitors are fast at copying your ideas.
Today, long term success for hardware companies will come from exclusive software and the ecosystem (which are extremely difficult to replicate for competitors).
Even Samsung is smart enough to understand that they need to improve their own services and software to be able to stay competitive in the future, and to keep this software exclusively for their own models. Not sure they will succeed, but it is definitely the right strategy.
Google case is quite different as Google is an ad company. I don’t know what will happen in the Android world, but it makes no doubt that Google will do whatever necessary to make THEIR own business successful. And considering that Samsung and other Android OEM are partners but also competitors, Android market should become quite brutal soon.
Edited 2013-11-06 12:52 UTC
Haven you ever met somebody who bought a specific smartphone, tablet or laptop because of “vendor-added quality software”?
The techies I know tend to prefer the “barebones” versions, whereas regular users decide based on price or “oh it’s so pretty”. Never heard any praise the quality-added crapware, while several have said they disliked it.
Companies should fire all those cocaine-snorting social-media-savvy marketing droids and perhaps, y’know, listen to their users.
Yes: 90% of iOS users did choose this platform for the OS, the apps, the ecosystem and not because iPhones are cheap or the hardware is pretty.
I guess 90% of WP users also did choose it because of the OS.
And I also know people choosing an Android smartphone which price fit their budget over another because of the UI, thus the skin or the “ecosystem” (e.g. Samsung supposed integration between their smart phones and their SmartTV).
Obviously the price is a key factor, but the point is that users have to choose a brand over another for a given budget.
And techies did choose a Nexus over another Android smartphone because of the stock Android, not because the hardware is better than other Android smartphones.
So yes, most users did choose their smartphone in a given budget range based on the OS, software and ecosystem, not the hardware, because hardware is almost always very good.
This will never happen, because OEMs require differentiation and many carriers also subcontract OEMs for carrier specific models, regardless of which OS we speak about.
Vertical integration only works in the cases were the companies control both hardware and software, which is a model most companies besides Apple, have abandoned.
Nowadays creating specific software, means taking out BSD, Android, GNU/Linux, Windows and creating a Frankenstein with their specific extensions, as there is no money to be made in own OS research.
Edited 2013-11-06 13:50 UTC
Please note that Stock Android (e.g. AOSP) means no maps, no gmail, and lots more. I think (following TFA) you mean Stock _Google_ experience 😉
I also do not see why Google should be allowed to ship apps as “Stock” while other vendors could not….
Stock Android is pretty useless these days….
Virtually all laptop design is outsourced to specialist companies in Taiwan who subcontract manufacturing to China. There is little input from the “brand” owner.
Or better yet contribute code to aosp and fdroid apps.
Here’s a fun little game… how many ex-Be engineers can you name that now work (or have worked) for Google on the Android team? Here’s my list:
1) Dianne Hackbourne
2) Ficus Kirkpatrick
3) Hiroshi Lockheimer
4) Jean-Baptiste Queru (is he still a Google employee?)
I’m pretty sure there are more… (enjoy!)
Nope, he has moved on to Yahoo!’s mobile development team. He seems to be having a blast there, according to his G+ feed.
Edit: Here’s the relevant post:
https://plus.google.com/112218872649456413744/posts/XomxsyLJkzX
Edited 2013-11-06 16:45 UTC
So I got my Nexus 5 today. Shiny and all. I knew that they had replaced the stock messaging app with Hangouts – I just didn’t realize how bad Hangouts is especially if you only want to send SMS with it.
First of all, it displays my G+ Buddies. In my case a small pile (10-15 people) with abandoned G+Profiles, old email-adresses and such. All these people are double entries of contacts that I have in my GMail-Addressbook.
But to top it off, underneath my G+ Contacts there is a list of people called “people you may know”. There are some people there that either have not seen in years or (even better!) DO NOT KNOW AT ALL!
Of course, you cannot remove neither this list nor the G+ contacts. You can only manually remove single entries in the “people you may know” list.
So, as a consequence, I logged on to G+ and REMOVED ALL OF MY FRIENDS.
Probably not the outcome that Google wanted…
Ofc I could replace Hangouts with some other stupid ad-infested messenger service.
Is it really too complicated to ship a phone OS with a simple SMS tool?
Bah…
Google+ is going to be what ruins Google. Their desperate attempts to force everyone to use it by tying it to popular products Microsoft-style is what makes me glad Samsung insists on having their own alternatives, even if otherwise inferior. Of course, I have to hope Samsung never has any success with web services…
Can’t you tell Google+ not to integrate its contact list with your regular Contacts app list? Or was this option dropped from KitKat? I’m on a Nexus 4 and I opted out of G+ contacts integration, and so far haven’t had any issues with them spilling over into other parts of the phone.
Then again, thinking about how Hangouts is pretty much an extension of G+, I can see how you could be forced to see all contacts in one place when using Hangouts for SMS. They definitely should include an easy way to separate the two contact pools in a future update.
I’ll definitely watch the ‘net for reports of that kind of behavior for people upgrading to KitKat on their older Nexus devices, before taking the plunge myself. Unless they can fix it so it’s more like iMessage, it’s going to be an annoyance instead of a feature.
My issues with Hangouts as an SMS client were twofold:
1. No dark theme. Everything (except Google apps) on my phone has dark backgrounds with light text. Makes it much easier on the eyes, especially in darkness. Hangouts does not give you the option to change the theme.
2. Sucks the battery dry! When Hangouts was set as the SMS client, Android OS would show at the top of the battery usage list, even above the screen! And I’d have less than 20% battery left at bedtime, compared to the 40-50% battery I normally have left.
I tried Hangouts as an SMS client for three days, but could not get over those two issues. I’ve since moved back to the AOSP Messaging app.
LG Optimus G running Carbon (Android 4.3).
An un-googled (ie G+ and all that crap) stock android with the best Ad-free core apps(email client, messaging etc) possible?
I’d buy one of those.
When you can buy a nexus 5 for $350, who in their right mind would pay $550 or more for a Galaxy S4?
Why is LG happy to undercut its own phones by manufacturing Nexus hardware at break even prices?
Nexus is a great series, but I do wonder if Google is basically killing their partners at least on the high end. Who can compete with selling the hardware at cost or close to?
Someone who likes the look of OLED screens? Someone who likes having access to a 64 GB microSD card? Someone who likes having access to multiple batteries, or the option for an extended battery? Someone who liked older Samsung models and wanted to stay with a vendor they know?
Because there are very big differences between an N5 and a G2, and there are those who prefer the G2? And, either way, LG gets a cut.
Those who understand “value-add”. Like a stylus and active digitiser on the Note line. Like a ginormous battery in the G2. Like the extra DSPs in the X8 SoC of the Moto X that give you Active Notifications and always-on voice activation. Like the OSS drivers and updates direct to AOSP on the Xperias. Like the Amazon ecosystem on the Kindle Fires. Like the gaming on the Shield. Etc.
The Nexus 5 is a wonderful phone. But it’s not the best phone. And it doesn’t have every feature that every other phone has. Thus, it won’t appeal to everyone. Hence, a market for other OEMs to aim for.
Edit: spelling nits.
Edited 2013-11-06 23:25 UTC
Except those other phones are not really value add. Yes they have some different features, and some features are better than the Nexus 5, but other features are worse. The Galaxy S4 has removable battery and an SD card slot, but it is also hugely slower than the Nexus.
The Note is a different category entirely so not comparable.
Moto X is a failure by all accounts, so clearly it’s not that compelling even before the Nexus 5 came out.
There will always be a market for other Android phones of course, but will there be a market at $200-$300 more than the Nexus when the Nexus is already top of the line in terms of hardware?
There is a bit more to markets than just products.
Nexus phones have a completely different distribution/sales/support approach than, let’s say, a Samsung Galaxy device.
E.g. Nexus phones have little to no advertisement, are not sold or subsidized by carriers, etc, etc.
Geeks usually have a fantastically hard time grasping they’re a minority of the population. So even though to us a Nexus phone may seem, as far as android devices go, a better value. But to the average Joe who just entered and cell phone store and is looking for a new whatchamacallit it does not make a difference, because as far as he is concerned the cell phone offerings are basically whatever his or her carrier are offering him.
I live in Australia. I’ve never seen a Nexus 4 and may never see a Nexus 5. I’ve seen plenty of Galaxy 4 phones though.
The Google cloud-based ecosystem simply doesn’t work in countries, like Australia, where mobile bandwidth is expensive and restricted.
Given the fact that the Nexus 5 is sold out in australia I imagine that you will see one. Problem with the Nexus series is that not a lot of carriers offer them. But for anyone buying an off-contract android phone, it’s a no-brainer.
That sentence makes no sense. Nothing about the nexus uses more bandwidth than a different Android phone.
No Australian carrier sells the Nexus. Most Australians buy high end phones on plans because the bundles are generally much cheaper than buying a phone and plan separately.
In Australia plans typically provide a pathetic 1GB of data. Connections and data speeds are often abysmal outside the inner city areas. This combined with a lack of removable storage makes the Nexus (and any similar Android phone) a total PITA.
I got the Galaxy Nexus from Optus last February, but they’ve since stopped carrying Nexuses.
It seems as though it’s only online retailers that stock them, and not carriers.
It’s not actually cheaper to buy them bundles, though; it cost me an extra $250 over 24 months to get a galaxy note 3 with Optus than it would have to buy one outright and go with an Optus reseller like Internode.
Resellers are a neat way to get much larger data caps for cheaper, but Optus only charge $10/GiB for excess data anyway, so it’s not that much of a biggie.
While I can understand Google, LG, Samsung all try to differentiate themselves, they’re not helping the Android app space.
Device lock-in/differentiation will force app developers to support multiple versions, more work.
Google wants to follow Apple with its iPhone model, ie. premium devices, but in doing so will fragment the Android ecosystem.
Maybe that’s needed in the future, because as a lot have said there are so much crapware installed on the devices out there.
Uhh.. No. Google is doing the exact opposite of Apple.
Google is selling the hardware at cut rate prices in order to get people using their software (and seeing their ads, which is how they make their money). Apple is sticking to their premium hardware prices and increasingly making their software free to encourage people to buy the hardware.
Edited 2013-11-07 03:21 UTC
I like smart phones, but it pisses me off to pay for 4g service when the vast majority of using it on the web is over WiFi. Wake me up when a carrier let’s you just pay for talk and SMS without the 4g.
Just get a contract and smartphone separately…